The Problem With Us

The Problem With Us

I'll be the first to admit that I have an overactive imagination. I tend to over-symbolize the everyday happenings of life and oftentimes make them out to be far-reaching spiritual lessons. When, in reality, to everyone else, they're just everyday happenings of life.

Allow me to explain.

Take today for instance. My kids (students) this year have helped me design this little game that enables them to learn vast portions of their Bible memory verses with relative ease. Not to mention they have FUN whilst doing it. "How exactly is this accomplished?" you may (or may not) be asking.

Well, it's simple. I either handwrite or type the verses, word for word, on the dry erase board or the SmartBoard. We all say the verses together as a class, then students come up - a handful at a time - and begin erasing off words of their choice. Then, we pause and recite the verse together again. We proceed through this same routine until everyone in the class has gotten their fair share at the board. The goal is to be able to say the verse in full and with 100% accuracy - even after all of the words have been erased off of the board. As if that isn't excitement enough…. The name of the game is called…. wait for it….. " WipeOut ! "

Haha. Ok. Ok. So, I admit. This game is a little bit lame. The kids do enjoy it, however… (they helped make it up!) Though it lacks any semblance of creativity, it does serve the purpose of helping the students learn their Bible verses and commit them to memory throughout the week, instead of just on Friday-test-day.

Today, though, this game proved to serve more than just the sole purpose it was designed for - to help kids memorize their Bible verses for Friday quizzes. In fact, today, God used this game to teach me a little about life. How so?

I'm glad you inquired.

Today's verse-up-for-bids was Psalm 23:1-4.

According to Bible Gateway's NASB version, it reads as follows:

A Psalm of David.

verse 1 The LORD is my shepherd,
I shall not want. 

verse 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters. 

verse 3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

verse 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

After several rounds of our very uneventful WipeOut! game, guess what was left?

A Psalm of David.

verse 1 my, I  

verse 2 me; me 

verse 3 my; me

verse 4 I, I me; me

As we were finishing up the game, I had a student laugh and call out, "It looks like we have a problem erasing the 'me, me, me's'."

I hope that statement struck you in the same way it struck me. Why? Because its truth reaches deeper than just a silly, non-imaginative WipeOut Bible Verse Study Game. It hits the reality of where each of us lives, on a regular, daily basis. 

I don't know about you, but I surely don't believe in coincidences. I feel God strategically allowed that to happen in my classroom today to teach me a lesson.

The problem with us - rather, the problem with me - is simply this: We - rather, I - have a problem erasing the me, me, me's.

With the next day that you're given, make it your goal to erase yourself. 

Instead of focusing on you, your rights, your reputation, how people perceive you, etc….let things be done for other's benefit and God's ultimate glory. At the end of the day, nothing is about you anyway. The sun doesn't rise and set on your command. The oceans move back and forth without your permission. And last time I checked, the planets will still maintain order without you for them to revolve around. So, humbly recognize that, get over it, and live beyond it.

Our world would be a much better (and far-less-broken) place if more people simply chose to give God the glory due to His name, put others before ourselves, and deliberately chose to erase the ME, ME, ME's.